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While the debate over President Obama's decision to withhold Osama bin Laden's postmortem photograph continues, a number of news agencies and advocacy groups are attempting to release the government's photo and video evidence via a Freedom of Information Act request. Here's a look at who those actors are:
The Associated Press
Last week Monday, the news wire filed for the photo and video evidence, to which the government has 20 days to respond. "We would like to obtain images from the raid because we believe they would have significant news value," said the AP's director of media relations Paul Colford. "However, we would decide about publishing all or some on the images based on our own editorial standards, which include such factors as tastefulness and whether they could cause harm or danger to others."
Politico
Today, Politico's Ken Vogel received a response to his FOIA request. The Department of Defense referred his request to the U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command in Fort Meade, Maryland. He posted the letter here. According to some legal experts, if the Army has the bin Laden photo, the government may have to release it because, unlike the White House, it's subject to FOIA. Still, the Army or CIA may apply for an exemption citing a national security risk (though that could be a difficult case to make).